Enlarge ImageRequest to buy this photoDispatch file photoRocky Brands bucked a trend and thrived this winter. Here, Renae Mourn arranges boots at the company’s Nelsonville store in a 2004 photo.

Well, that was quick.

A few weeks ago, Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Michael Jeffries told analysts that the New
Albany-based retailer was planning to sell more merchandise from outside retailers in its stores,
building on the success of Hollister’s sale of specially made Keds shoes.

The follow up came quickly, as Abercrombie launched a male footwear line last week designed
exclusively for Hollister by California-based SeaVees.

The footwear line features signature Hollister colors on twill lace-up and slip-on sneakers.

The deal means that Hollister now offers not only flip-flops but “the quintessential California
sneaker,” said Gillian Galner of Abercro, group vice president at Abercrombie.

The California angle is key to the deal because both Hollister and SeaVees promote their brands
as essential parts of the “California dream” of surf, sun and fun. That makes the partnership “a
natural,” said Steven Tiller, CEO and chief designer for SeaVees.

While it seems like a perfect fit, Abercrombie is moving cautiously with the shoes, selling them
only online — at least initially — at HollisterCo.com, Abercrombie officials said.

Distribution news

Bon-Ton department stores will open a new distribution center in West Jefferson in the spring of
2015.

The York, Pa.-based retailer announced recently that it had signed a lease with Duke Realty
Corp. for the 743,000-square-foot, automated direct-to-consumer fulfillment center. The company
said the move comes in response to growth of its e-commerce business.

The center will employ 139 people, with additional seasonal jobs expected during the holiday
shopping season.

The consolidation will mean the closing of the center in Moraine, Ohio. Three other fulfillment
centers — in Fairborn, Ohio; Whitehall, Pa.; and Rockford, Ill. — will remain open.

The company’s decision to put the distribution center in central Ohio “is a testament to the
region’s distribution strength and strategic location for shipping goods to key customer areas,”
said David Kell, director of Madison County Economic Development, in a statement.

Bon-Ton operates 270 department stores, which includes 10 furniture galleries, in 25 states in
the Northeast, Midwest and upper Great Plains under the Bon-Ton, Bergner’s, Boston Store, Carson’s,
Elder-Beerman, Herberger’s and Younkers nameplates.

There are Elder-Beerman stores in Lancaster, Marion, Newark and Chillicothe.

Could the new West Jefferson facility mean more retail in central Ohio from Bon-Ton?

The company evidently doesn’t have immediate plans. “If the opportunity arises, we would
consider others,” said Bon-Ton spokeswoman Christine Hojnacki.

Thirty-One minus 50

Fast-growing direct seller Thirty-One Gifts announced last week that it is eliminating 50
positions, most from the home office in Columbus.

Officials at the company said the moves are being made to simplify and change some processes in
order to better support the company’s large sales force.

“We are carefully realigning our strategies to support our business and our consultants’
businesses so we can move forward with continued success,” said Andy Neri, president of Thirty-One
Gifts.

Thirty-One produces and distributes personalized gift items through a network of 120,108
independent sales consultants who sell the company’s products at home parties throughout the U.S.
and Canada.

In addition to the sales consultants, Thirty-One directly employs 1,527 workers at four
locations in central Ohio and contracts with Westerville-based logistics company Exel for an
additional 474.

Profiting from winter

The dark clouds of the tough winter have left their share of gloom over most retailers. The past
few weeks have brought a string of disappointing quarterly earnings reports.

One of the few companies to profit from the winter: Rocky Brands.

The “prolonged cold and wet weather has helped drive sell-through in our work and outdoor
retailers,” said David Sharp, CEO of the Nelsonville-based footwear and apparel company, during the
company’s recent quarterly earnings report.

While Sharp said, “Our excitement is being a bit tempered by the uncertain retail environment,”
his company specializes in long-wearing outdoor boots that typically aren’t subject to many other
retail trends.

Meanwhile, retail trends are very much top of mind at a different retail company, Express.

“It’s much more difficult to sell things than it used to be,” said Michael Weiss, chairman and
CEO, during his company’s recent quarterly report.

Part of the reason is that shoppers didn’t go to the malls during the winter nearly as often as
in the past.

When they do go to the stores, Weiss said, “the buying on the part of customer has become much
more specific.”

And that pickiness has been at least instructive.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen such short lines of demarcation between the good stuff and the bad
stuff,” Weiss said. “So I would rather have the traffic, but with the less traffic, we are getting
much more conclusive information.”

Opening

Local fashion brand State of Devotion has opened its first brick-and-mortar store, at 1435
Grandview Ave.

The store is the first owned and operated location for the brand, which will celebrate its third
year in business this summer, said owner Jim Jackson.

In addition to this location and its online store, State of Devotion sells products in

13 stores throughout Ohio.

The new store features the brand’s line of T-shirts, kids’ clothes, tank tops, bags, decor and
handmade jewelry. All shirts are made in America and printed in Ohio.

The store also will offer some items from other local brands, Jackson said.

Closing

After several years of business, Creation Nation is closing its doors on March 29.